Puerta de Alcalá to San Jerónimo

Puerta de Alcal&aacute

Location

Plaza de la Independencia

Transportation

Metro: Retiro. Bus: 1, 9, 19, 20, 28, 51, 52, or 146

Designer

Francisco Sabatini

Year

1778

The Puerta de Alcala (Alcala Gate) is a monument located in the Plaza de la Independencia, on Alcala Street. It is one of the most important monuments in Madrid. The first gate was built in 1559 for orders of Felipe III. He wanted this gate to celebrate the arrival of her wife to the city. In 1774, the king Charles III ordered the construction of a new gate because he did not like that one; the gate was destroyed in 1764. The construction project of the new gate was won by the architect Francisco Sabatini. It was inaugurated in 1778.

Through the years, it has been repaired five times; the last reparation occurred in 1992. The original style of the gate has always maintained the same; it is a neoclassic construction, with five arches. It has several ornaments as: “Las Cuatro Virtudes”, “Los escudos” of the East wall, the “Mascarones”, etc.

St. Jerome Royal Church

Address

Calle Moreto, 4, Madrid, Spain

Phone

91 420 35 78 / 91 420 30 78

Website

http://www.sanjeronimoelreal.es

eMail

sanjeronimoelreal@hotmail.com

In the XV century, the kings ordered the construction of the Jerome Monastery. This monastery was also used by the royal family when they went out of the city, this is how the “Cuarto Real” was born, and it was expanded years later, resulting in the “Palacio del Buen Retiro.” The Monastery has had a gothic style. From the original building, only the church and the cloister remain: they are commonly known as “El Cubo de Moneo”, which now belongs to El Pardo Museum. There are several sculptures, paintings and other art samples in the interior of the building.

Many weddings, funerals and other types of events were performed there.